Environment
Responsible environmental work and sustainable development
Special attention is paid to environmental issues and sustainable development in the Kokkola Industrial Park area. Environmental, health, and safety matters are an integral part of responsible, long-term business operations. Responsibility in environmental matters means, among other things, that companies continuously strive to reduce emissions, improve operations, assess and mitigate risks, and anticipate environmental impacts during changes. Responsibility also means that companies communicate openly about environmental issues.
Through the Kokkola Industrial Park Association, cooperation has been strengthened by establishing KIP Environmental and Energy Working Groups, consisting of environmental and energy professionals from various companies in the area. The tasks of these groups include identifying new opportunities for collaboration and solutions, as well as sharing knowledge and experiences of best practices that promote environmental well-being.
Versatile Circular Economy
The chemical cluster in Kokkola’s large-scale industrial area serves as an example of a developing circular economy ecosystem with significant potential. Companies in the area are closely interconnected, and decades of experience have created a strong foundation of expertise. KIP’s production companies leverage mutual synergies not only in their production processes but also in the further processing of by-products. This improves material and energy flows and significantly reduces process waste. Several side streams have been identified and utilized in the area, and operations have been developed according to circular economy principles.
A key milestone in this development was the establishment of the Kokkola Industrial Park Association (KIP ry) in 2006. The association has actively participated in numerous development projects, such as the Central Ostrobothnia Biovalley competence cluster. KIP is also a member of the European Chemical Site Platform (ECSPP), and in 2018 it was invited to join the national project “Disseminating Industrial Symbiosis Expertise and Operating Models in Finland,” coordinated by Digipolis in Kemi and funded by Sitra.
The synergies offered by circular economy and the area’s functional infrastructure create excellent conditions for developing new technologies and products at the interface of chemistry and bioeconomy.
Environmental Status
Joint environmental monitoring of Kokkola and the KIP area began as early as the 1970s. Today, these practices are world-class both locally and globally. Cooperation is carried out with ELY Centers, the City of Kokkola, companies in the area, and other stakeholders regarding air quality, marine and groundwater monitoring, environmental impact assessments, and fish stocking.
Reports on the environmental status of the Kokkola area can be found on the websites of the City of Kokkola and the Ostrobothnia Water and Environment Association.
